


Dragon inside me

by avid_reader_45



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Archer Alec Lightwood, Dragon Magnus Bane, Dragons, Immortal Alec Lightwood, Immortal Magnus Bane, Legends, M/M, movie: Dragon inside me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:15:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23648338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avid_reader_45/pseuds/avid_reader_45
Summary: A Kidnapped warrior.A powerful dragon.A beautiful stranger.A hidden island.All the legends are true, after all.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 4
Kudos: 81





	Dragon inside me

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first work. I have seen the movie and I can't take this malec au out of my head.  
> I don't own the characters or the plot, and all the mistakes are my fault.  
> English is not my native language, and I 've studied it a long ago, so please don't be too rude... I hope you can enjoy yourselves anyway.  
> Kudos and comment are really appreciate.

# Dragon Inside Me

Legend says that once upon a long ago in the ancient kingdom of Alicante there was a dragon . He came suddenly from the sea, he brought with him death and destruction, pain and ruins. No one was able to kill the demonic beast, so the king had made a terrible pact: every ten years, a young noble youth, male or female, had to be sacrificed; with a ritual chorus, people called the dragon, which flew over the victim, took him or her in its claws and vanished through the clouds. No one has ever seen the young again, but the kingdom would be safe for another decade. After many years, the unfortunate chosen was a beautiful girl, the bethroted of a great warrior. When the beast took her away, the boy began a quest to find her; after a journey on the sea, he found himself lost in a deep fog. He was ready to stop when a red light began to pulse like a strange kind of lighthouse. Following it, he arrived at a small rocky island where he soon found his girlfriend. He found the dragon asleep , stabbed its evil heart with his sword and freed his fiancee. The dragon was dead, the kingdom was finally safe.  


Many years have passed, but the ritual still exists, a way to celebrate the courage and strength of a man and his great love . It will be celebrated today, at the wedding between Princess Lydia and Alexander Lightwood, incredible archer and heir of an important family from the town of Idris. The princess is smart and really beautiful, but Alec is not happy; the marriage is combined and the two young do not love each other. But it is his duty, he says himself, in order to increase the power and honor of his family and protect the future of his siblings.  
Maybe one day he will be fine. It could be.  
He is well dressed, without weapons, without his beloved bow, ready to go outside where everyone is waiting for the groom,.Even Lydia is ready, and approching the priest. It's time to go. People start singing the dragon song, to remember the hero and the greatest love of all time.  
He takes the first step, then another, he goes through the door. It's snowing outside.  
Another couple of steps. He stops. The white flakes are sourrounding him. This marriage seems unreal to him . His heart is heavy. The choir echoes loudly. A thought hits his head: is there still time to quit? Or is it right to give up all hope of love and happiness?  
He is looking at the sky, perhaps for advice, when something changes: suddenly the snowflakes stop in the air and a strong thunder resounds in the clouds. A blowing wind rolls the banners and a huge shadow descend. Alexander sees wings, fangs and claws ... he only has time to think "-All the legends are true, after all." - before something grabs him and raises him. He feels something ripping his clothes and the flesh beneath them, and then ... darkness.  


When he wakes up, he is in a long tunnel, with a weak light coming from a little opening high above impossible to reach for him. Every bone hurts, and the claw's cut are deep. He get up with great difficulty, and he's starting to explore the surraundings when a voice calls him."Hey, are you okay?"  
He looks around and finally sees two eyes watching him from a hole in the rocks. "Not so fine, as you can see," he replies. "Where are we? And who are you?" he asks.  
"I'm just a prisoner of this island, just like you. You're safe, for the moment, the dragon can't reach you here. On your left there is a small pool of fresh water, and here is a potion for your wounds ". He's offering him through the hole a small bottle with something green inside. The man speaks to him in a calm and sweet voice, and Alec begins to take off his shirt to clean the cuts. "Thanks ... what's your name?" "Really, I don't remember my real name . You can call me Magnus. Magnus Bane.” "Thanks Magnus. I am Alexander, but everyone calls me Alec" "You're welcome, Alexander" .  


The two start talking a little. Alec tells how the beast catched him during his marriage and asks about the island. Magnus explains that the dragon sleeps a lot and flies away very often, so it's safer to hide in the tunnel and get out when it's not there. There is no way to leave the island, surrounded by a deep, high fog and high cliffs. The only way to find the passage between them is a great love. If the prisoner loves the person who is looking for him with all his heart, his love takes the form of a pulsing red light, which guides the rescuer towards the island. There is no other way. Then, suddenly something alarms Magnus, who leaves without another word.  
Alec ends his medication. The potion stings a little, but it seems to work. He dresses and restarts his exploration. He is a warrior, he will never give up. He will find a way to escape and perhaps kill the demonic beast..  


Meanwhile something is happening in Alicante. Jace, Alec's adoptive brother and best friend, Isabel, Alec's sister, and Lydia are planning a mission to save him. They are ready to ship out of the harbour, hoping to find the mysterious red light that can lead them to the dragon's lair. They know nothing of the loving heart. They just hope.  


Alec's body hurts, but he continues to explore. The tunnel is very narrow, but it seems to him that a little breeze comes from his right. another step, then two or three ... his mind is lost on the strange man who's helping him. He seems too good looking for a prisoner. In good shape. With golden skin, dark hair and strange golden eyes. He had not see him very well through the hole, but ... wow, he looked very attractive. He stumbles, and resting one hand on the walls, looks right in front of him: a few meters away there is an exit. When he finally comes out, he is stunned: the tunnel tooks him very high, on a natural balcony on the cliff of the island. There seems to be no way to escape from there. He's looking down when a sound scares him. He turns ... and it's Magnus. **  
He's looking at him worried while telling him to go back inside. Alec looks him straight in the eye and takes a step back. Magnus's eyes are really golden, his pupils are vertical ... like the dragon's ones. "What are you?" he asks, taking another step back.  
"Please, Alexander, stop." the other answers. "I'll explain you everything, but please ..." but before he can finish the sentence, Alec tooks another step, to find ... nothing, and he starts falling off the high cliff. Immediately Magnus follows him, trying to grab his body, but Alec is terrified and turns around, avoiding him. "Please trust me, Alec," Magnus pleads, but he really can't. They are falling. With a desperate look, Magnus says "Do you want to see the dragon? It's coming".  
**

He opens his arms with a powerful move, and his body and his eyes begin to shine. Everything seems to explode in a red and gold light and in place of the beautiful man there is ... the terrible beast. The fall is near the end... Alec thinks his end is also near, killed by the demon or by the rocks on the bottom, it doesn't matter ... when he feels the claws catch him ("Again,..really?" ) and ... the wings surround his body to protect him from the crash. The impact is terrible, and he finds himself swept away. When he looks back, he sees the dragon motionless between the rocks. Thin red and golden lights begin to shine, small sparkles leave its body and in a few moments the dragon is again Magnus. He is still motionless. He seems passed out. Injured. Alec thinks of his goals, to free himself, to kill the beast, to bring glory to his family but ... the demon ... Magnus ... he kidnapped him but ... he cured him. He saved him. He seems to care about him... Alexander has always been the protector, no one has ever protected him before. It's a new, strange but warm feeling. Surprising himself, he approaches the man ("Beast? Demon? Whatever"), lifts him up and brings him in a bridal style along a path among the rocks, near the cliff, towards some distant trees.  


The path continues over the trees and leads to a clearing near a small lake, under a little waterfall that rushes from the cliff. Alec kindly supports the body near the water, and starts cleaning him in order to see how severe his injuries are. He moves his hands lightly searching for broken bones, the man still unsconcious, but when he approaches his chest a sudden brightness rages around Magnus, who is starting to transforms himself...again. Worried, not knowing what to do, Alec starts to sing a lullaby, like he always do to calm his siblings when they have nightmares. It works. The change stops, the man returns still and quiet. Alec carefully puts the man on the ground without stopping singing , touching softly Magnus's hair with his left hand, while taking out from his pocket the bottle with the healing potion with the other. Gently, always whispering the lulluby, he rubs it on every cut and wound he finds, than leans his body next the other. When the exhaustion seizes him and he falls asleep, he is still whispering.  


It's sunrise when he wakes up. The sky is pink and blue, and Magnus is nowhere to be seen. Near him there are some strange fruits, with a delicious smell. He's very hungry, so he takes a few bites. The taste is even more delicious. Satisfied, he take a small bath in the lake. The water is warm, and miraculously his injuries are already healed. He put his clothes on again and goes slowly along the path, following some footprints. After few minutes he reaches a small cove, with few rocks and beautiful white thin sand. Magnus is right there, inside the water up to his belt line, a long stick in the hand. he's trying to catch some fish. The sunlight suits him. He's really stunning.  


"Are you ok?" asks Alec, trying to rearrange his thoughts. "Much better, thanks to you" answers the other.  
"I am the one who thanks you, I owe you my life. You saved me risking yourself but...you kidnapped me, you put me in that hole....really I don't understand".  
The man looks him with his strange but sad eyes. After a moment of silence, he goes out from the sea and sits on the sand. Alec stands still for a second, than joins him. "It's not your fault" Magnus starts talking " For you to understand, you need to know all the story. Long ago, in this island lived a boy and his father. He was a strong man and an even stronger dragon. His child loved and admired him with all his young innocent heart and his greatest dream was to become like him. Poor fool. His father was strong but cruel, with great power but heartless. He basked in the pain and sorrow that he carried himself. And he was glad to kill and eat the young men and women every kingdom must sacrificed to protect the reigns from his devastating fury. When the time came, the demon brought his child to the balcony you know well, and told him to jump. "If you truly desire to became like me, your heart will makes the change, and you will be able to turn in your real form" He said. But the boy had change his mind, he looked at his father with horror and ran away. His father gave up on him, because nobody can force the shift. He flew away, and when he returned, he carried with him a girl. The boy freed her while his father was sleeping. He hided her in the tunnel, and when he saw a ship in the distance he took her right here, where we are now. He told her to call her boyfriend from the deep of her heart, and to guide him next to her. A red light came from her chest, the ships arrived in this cove following it, her groom landed. The boy hided himself between the rocks. The warrior was full of rage. He found the sleeping dragon, killed it with his sword, took his bride and left the island. The child, devastated by the guilt, reached the balcony and jumped. The pain felt allowed him to change, and he became a dragon, the new bane of the kingdoms by this sea.  
I caused my father's death.  
Since my first turn, I can feel all the evil he has done, all the joy he sensed when he made something terrible. I'm the son of a demon. I'm a monster, Alexander. I have sweared to myself that I would never leave this island. But yesterday your people called me outloud, summoning the beast with the ritual song. When the dragon takes control I can't do anything to fight it. The only thing I was capable to do was let you fall into the hole, where I can't reach you in my flying form.. I'm really sorry. The only way for you to leave is waiting for your bride. Your love will guide her to you" With these words, Magnus stands up and starts to walk back to the clearing.  


Alec remains along the seaside, thoughtful. It's a lot to take.  
Can he trusts Magnus? The beast scares him a lot, but the man...  
He's kind, and gentle. He seems so sad and lonely... maybe he can help him to learn how to control the dragon. And in the meantime he will search another way to escape.  
He knows nobody could find him there. Lydia doesn't love him. He doesn't love her. Certainly, no red light will come from his heart to guide a ship to this godforsaken place.  
He takes a deep breath and gets up, following the dragon's path.  


When he reaches him, Magnus is swimming near the waterfall. Rays of sunlight are shining on the drops on his skin. He's breathtaking.  
Alec can't stop himself from staring. He's a starving man. A flame of desire is devouring him from the inside. He has always known hewas into men, but he has never felt something like that. So strong. All consuming. It takes him some moments to steady himself. He takes few steps. Magnus sees him. He turns and comes out from the water., leaning his body on a rock and basking in the sunlight. He seems worried. And waiting for his next move.  
Alec sighs and starts talking.  
" I wanna thank you for trying to explain me what's happened, the reasons for your behaviour. I must apologize for mine. I'm sorry I've not answered your confession immediatly, but I really needed some time to think. I belive that we can find a way to control the beast in you...After all, you freed me, you was capable to transform yourself when I fell, you obliged the dragon to save me... I believe that if you learn how to stay calm, how to concentrate and steady yourself, you will be able to subdue the demon. You would be whatever you want. A man or a dragon. With your willingness. I can teach you song to calm your mind. And some martial arts to help your concentration. Would you try?"  


"I don't know if I can, Alexander.... What if the beast takes control? I can hurt you. I can even kill you."  
The archer looks the other man straight in the eyes. He speaks honestly, Magnus can see it.  
"In the short time that we know each other, you have already proved your worth. You're not a monster. You're generous and kind. You're caring, and brave. You're stronger than the dragon. You're power comes from your inner strenghth, and you're overflowing with." Magnus looks at him as a silent tear runs down his cheek. With a trembling voice, he replies "Thank you Alexander, for trusting me so much. I'll try." and hesitantly he reaches out his hand to Alec, who is ready to hold it with a smile.  


The next few days seem like a dream to Alec. Magnus is a wonderful man, with a heart bigger than a castle. He's smart, and funny, and has a great sense of humor. He learns quickly the lullubies Alexander remembers, and some breathing exercises. When he starts singing, the little island resounds with his deep, sweet voice.  
They also talk a lot about everything and nothing. And early in the mornings Magnus takes the young man around, to show him the beauty of his little reign. In the past some ships crashed on the rocks and some of their cargo had ended up on the island. Magnus shows them to his new friend and he finds elegant clothes, maps, books and ... a flute. It's perfect. With a guilty thought, Alec hides two maps of the sea and the coast, a sextant and a pair of shirts. Only if necessary,he says himself.  


Several days go by. Days full of stories, joy, sweet smiles and unexpressed desires. The dragon seems to sleep. Or maybe the songs and meditation are working.  
One morning Alec takes the flute and goes to the cliff's balcony, where Magnus goes twice a day looking for the bride's ship. If he only knew... "Magnus! I want you to listen to a new song" calls Alec. The man turns around, his eyes soften. Alec starts playing a sweet melody, continuing to watch him. For a moment, the other looks carefree, the sun's rays behind him ...he shines. Alec stops. With the flute in one hand, approaches the other. A step. Another. The desire to kiss him stronger than ever. The free hand goes on Magnus's chest, just above the heart. The flames light up. Again. Magnus shines, but he is yet a man. Worried, Alec restarts the melody with the flute with sad eyes and a heavy soul, Magnus steps back to the edge of the balcony, screaming, with a fist on the flesh, above his traitor weak heart. One breath. Then another. He regains his control. "I like you very much, Alexander. More than anything else. But you can't touch me. I can't touch you. You have to leave." It's a wail. And a surrender.  


Alec is speechless. "Magnus, please ... I can't go ... I don't want to. I've never been so happy before, like since when I'm here, with you …"  
"Are you crazy? Can't you see that I can't fight the beast? I will kill you! Why doesn't anyone come for you? There is no ship on the horizon. Where is your bride? Where is your beloved? Did you lied to me? "  
A whisper breaks the silence that follows. "Not exactly ... I was marrying Lydia when you ... the dragon ... tooks me. But I never loved her. And she never loved me. Nobody can find me here. Sorry. But Magnus I love... "  
"Stop! Don't you dare say it... I found your maps and the little boat you did with some wreckage. You can go. Find your way through the waves. Leave me. You have always wanted to ."  


Magnus launches himself into the tunnel, his screams of pain reach Alec, torn and ravaged by both his and Magnus's pain. The screams will haunt him forever, he thinks. Without strength, without hope, he tooks his boat, his objects, some water and he leaves.  
After a few miles, the blue sky turns into a deep mist. He is lost. He stops, he doesn't make any sound, listening. If anyone is looking for him, it must be his brother.  


In fact, Jace and the others are close to him. Lydia wanted to go home, but the two siblings disagreed. They are looking in the fog, waiting for the mysterious red light. Sometimes they call his name. In the end, he hears them. He had found a firework in the trunks on the island. He turns it on. A red flame brightens the sky. Everyone on the ship see it. "The red light!" someone screams. They have found him. He's s safe. But all he can feel is despair.  


Two days have passed. It is all ready. Everyone thinks that the love of the princess and the archer is so strong that it defeated the dragon. Alec said the dragon was badly injured, everyone suppose that the demon is dead.  
The marriage is today, a day to celebrate a hero and his love, a warrior who has defeated a monster. Alec is ready. But he's empty. In pain. In agony. Jace and Isabel are at his side. They know he's not the same as before. They understand that something is changed. "You know you don't have to do this, do you?" says his brother.  
"We'll be fine. Lydia too. It's right to follow your heart, Alec. It's time for you to do what's right for you. You deserve to be happy," says his sister. They leave him with a kiss and a hug.  


He is alone. Again. He straights himself. A step. Then another. He's outside, where everyone is waiting for the groom. It's snowing. Again. A step. Then another. He stops again. He looks Lydia. Then his siblings. He takes a breath ... And starts singing the dragon song.  


A sparkle in Isabel's eyes, an understanding look by Jace. Nobody else understand his intentions. Lydia is astounded. Alec is still singing, with all the voice he has, pinting his face right to the sky.  
"What are you doing?" shouts Lydia "It's our wedding!!" "I'm sorry, princess" he says between the verses, "I can't" "Why not? Are you mad?" "sorry, Lydia. I fell in love with the dragon!" The song ends, the silence falls above the townsquare. Alec waits.  
He starts thinking the dragon will not comes. He starts feeling his desperation growing. But suddenly the wind changes. A shadow comes down from above the clouds. Wings. Fangs. Claws. "Magnus!" He opens his arms and lets himself be lifted  


This time the flight is different. The claws tighten his body gently, with care. He's uninjuried. He can see everything from the sky. The world from high above is beautiful. The dragon brings him to the cliff's balcony e lets him down. He falls softly. The beast get closer, ready to bite him. He trows his arms around the dragon's neck and kiss him between its eyes and his nose, leaning his forehead against the monster. The dragon is perplexed. Shakes its head. Makes a step back.  
A deep breath. Alec speaks. "Look, I know you have known only hate, and pain. Your powers were incredible. But that’s not why I fell in love with you. You're strong, yet sensitive. You’re wise, and you’re generous, and you’re brave, and you’re incredible! You're the most beautiful man I've ever seen. There’s a spark in you that lights up everything and everyone around you! Magnus,... I love you. In both your forms, in every shape you can take. I can't live without you. So, do what you want but please, please ... dragon, or man, please let me love you"  


Alec is calm. He has made his choice. Now it's the dragon's turn.  
Slowly, the beast gets closer, looking him straight in the eyes.  
And put its head on Alexander's knees.  


Years passes. Again. But on the dragon's island time flows more slowly. Alec's siblings are old, but he is still a young , handsome man. He's long dead for the world, but not for his family. He is their protector, after all. He and his stunning husband goes often to visit them. Dressed as traders or wealthy travelers . Only his family knows what happened to the great archer. And to the dragon. They know the story of how they have conquered the greatest love of all. And their happy ending.  


Once upon a long ago,  
an archer fell in love for a dragon ,wich fell for him in return.  


Their love saved both. The beast and the man.


End file.
